Compare and Contrast how these short novels deal with maturation theme so common in fairy tales - Essay Example

Darling recalls her childhood, the situation is reflected thus: “but after thinking back into her childhood she just remembered a Peter Pan who was said to live with fairies…….but now that she was married and full of sense she quite doubted whether there was any such person” (Chapter 1). “Peter Pan” is the short novel which gathers many themes. The three children, Wendy, John and Michael play the central role with “Peter Pan” who comes from the “Neverland”. They want to fly in the air “Let's wake John and Michael," Wendy said.

"You can teach us all to fly and then we will leave for Neverland!” (Chapter 1) Peter Pan is the personified shape of their dream. “Wendy” wants to be mature as is revealed in the Chapter 1: “but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up”. A child’s dream is but to live in the wonderlands of fairies. They always reside inside the shells of dreams. They want to fly up in the air which tells of their hidden ambitions to attain glory and fame. Similarly Pinocchio is the dream which comes true of its carpenter when he dreams of him in the words: “With it I intend to go around the world, to earn my crust of bread and cup of wine” (p4).

The carpenter is the personification of an elder’s desire for his child. . You hurt!" cried the same far-away little voice” (p7). The continuous ill treatment makes the child ill tempered as the carpenter weeps over his troubles: “I deserve it! he said to himself. I should have thought of this before I made him. Now it's too late!” (p8) Consequently, the child in the shape of Pinocchio flew away and the father is left with all sorrows: “Poor Geppetto ran after him but was unable to catch him, for Pinocchio ran in leaps and bounds” (p9).

The novels seem here similar in tone. Pinocchio and the three children have the same feelings here. All are ambitious in heart. All want to attain heights but with different styles of expressions i.e. children in “Peter Pan” fly in the air while Pinocchio dances in celebration of his birth. The story of “Peter Pan” reflects the softer feelings of a child for a mother. Similarly the girl’s fantasy for motherhood is revealed when Wendy accepts the demand of the “lost boys” to become their mother.

Though she informs them that she is just a little girl, she becomes persuaded and tells them the tales of Cinderella the whole night. She proved so affectionate that Tootles saw a mother in her being: “They talked of Cinderella and Tootles was confident that his mother must have been very like her” (Ch, 5). Pinocchio’s short story has a theme of the destructive faction of the society. It tells the children that though a child may be able and disciplined enough in school, there are always chances of his leading astray.

Pinocchio remains a competent student during his studies but he boasts of his wisdom when he is tipped off by a fellow: “there is no such danger, answered the Marionette, shrugging his shoulders and pointing to his forehead as if to say, ‘I am too wise’” (p109).